OK, I realize that it has been 2 months since I've written in my blog : ( Shame on me! But, my oldest daughter and a very dear friend have been encouraging me to get back to it. My only excuse is being too busy to devote any extra time to this blog, but that is not reason enough. I need to keep in mind that I need to make the time to be healthy and this blog is part of all that. I need to make time for preparing ahead of time for our meals. I need to make time to exercise. I need to make time to write in this blog, it is one of my accountability tools and I'm also hoping to help my readers too! So here we go again, I promise to be better at staying with it this time.
Since my last post, Sergio and I had been walking every day! We worked our way up to 3 miles each morning. In the process of walking every morning and eating much better I lost 20 pounds!!! Yipeeeeeeeeee!!! But...then we had one birthday party after another, Sergio and I went to Vegas, then my daughter graduated from FAU, so another party...in the process I gained 8 pounds back : ( I've have been so discouraged for the past month because of it. I have been here so many times in my life, loose a few, gain them back, loose a few, gain them back. It seems like it is a never ending battle for me. But instead of being discouraged I should be turning to God and His word, see Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous...do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." God's word was encouragement for Joshua so many years ago and it is encouragement for us today!
The most important lessons I've learned in the process are:
1. Always, always, always rely on God. He is our Father who loves us and in His word has promised to help us in everything if we just call out to Him.
2. It takes a lot of time and effort to loose weight and it only takes one week of poor meal planning and skipping exercise to gain it all back and sometimes gain even more weight!
3. This one is a no brainer because God designed our bodies for healthy living, but I'll say it anyway...a person feels much better when eating healthy foods, when exercising regularly, and most importantly, when being fed spiritually!
4. It sounds strange but the more I exercise the more energy I have! Yes of course I am tired after a workout but my energy levels are greatly increased by eating the proper foods and exercising!
5. I have learned that it is possible to eat healthy when at a restaurant and it is also possible to healthly at parties. It is a little more challenging but it is possible!
So Guys, good luck this week, stick to it and in the process you'll get rid of the extra weight and you not only be healthier but you feel better too!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Straighten Up!!
Remember when we were kids and our mothers and teachers were always telling us to sit up straight? Boy, do I wish that I had listened to them! It is a challenge to try to correct the bad habit of bad posture. I have to constantly remind my self to sit up straight or to stand straight as well. It's not that I have terrible posture but I do tend to slouch, a lot : ( I never even realized that I was doing it until one day at the gym one of the trainers, in a very loving way, told me to look at myself in the mirror. At first I was insulted because I thought she was talking about my weight but then she explained that she meant my posture. I was actually very surprized to see my reflection, I was so slouched over, with all of my weight on my right side and my right hip popped out to the side. No wonder my back hurts! She went on to explain that it is really bad for our spines (a healthy spine is so important) to stand or sit slouched over. It is also not very good for the health of our backs when we stand with most of our weight on one foot. Our weight should be evenly divided between both sides of our bodies, which means we must stand with our weight balanced in the middle of our bodies. Also, did you know that poor posture is not good for our internal organs? When we slouch over our ribs compress into our midsection and put all kinds pressure on our organs. This is especailly true when we are exercising. If we are walking, running, weight lifting, etc...and we are not using good posture we are not able to get the proper amount of oxygen into our lungs! Our rib cage pushes in on our lungs and thus the lungs cannot fully expand and therefore we don't get enough oxygen. I read an article on ezinearticles.com that stated when your spine is not positioned correctly it can cause muscle strain along with spine and nervous system problems. Another online article on trucomfort.com reports that good posture not only has physical benefits but also has psychological benefits as well. According to a study done by Ohio State University researchers, sitting up straight or standing with good posture increases one's self confidence! Try it...walk into a room standing straight and tall and you'll feel more confident! We've all heard the expression, "standing proud." So let's all sit up or stand up straight for good physical health and mental well being!
Did you know that, according to http://www.wheatgermbenefits.com/, wheat germ is one of the best sources of folic acid? It is also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, protein, and essential fatty acids. Wheat germ helps prevent diseases. All of that packed into the tiny, powerful, nutrient dense part of the wheat kernel!!! Check out http://www.cooks.com/ for recipes using wheat germ. Me, I simply mix a couple of heaping tablespoons in a small glass of grapefruit juice. It is not the best tasting combination is the world, but who cares? I know it's good for me!
Verse for today:
Psalm 37:4-5
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your ways to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this."
Let's commit our new healthy lifestyle to the Lord and He will help us : )
Did you know that, according to http://www.wheatgermbenefits.com/, wheat germ is one of the best sources of folic acid? It is also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, protein, and essential fatty acids. Wheat germ helps prevent diseases. All of that packed into the tiny, powerful, nutrient dense part of the wheat kernel!!! Check out http://www.cooks.com/ for recipes using wheat germ. Me, I simply mix a couple of heaping tablespoons in a small glass of grapefruit juice. It is not the best tasting combination is the world, but who cares? I know it's good for me!
Verse for today:
Psalm 37:4-5
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your ways to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this."
Let's commit our new healthy lifestyle to the Lord and He will help us : )
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Help! I'm confused!
"Ideas not coupled with action never become bigger than the brain cells they occupy." I read this quote from a fortune cookie, believe it or not. It is one of those one-liners that really sticks with you, it is so true and I really liked it, so I memorized it! I encourage you to think about it and remember it as well!
Wow! There is so much conflicting information out there; some vegetables are healthier if you steam them, some are better eaten raw. Most fish is very healthy for you but not all fish is healthy for you. Is wild better than farm raised? Are fish caught in cold water better for you than fish caught in warmer tropical waters? Are all fish contaminated with mercury? Which have the highest content of mercury? What about chicken? Beef? Soy is good. Soy is bad. Some diets will even tell you that fruits are bad and bacon is good ( I can't quite figure that one out). Isn't it just easier to eat a sleeve of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk and be done with it? The chocolate chip cookies have eggs and dough and the chocolate has antioxidants! The milk is my dairy and there you have it, I've covered 3 out of the 4 food groups and I'm a happy camper!!! Not really though because deep down, despite the fact that I really do enjoy chocolate chip cookies and milk, I know it is not healthy for me. So the bottom line is we must be wise consumers. We cannot allow ourselves to remain confused about which foods to eat and which not to eat. We need to do our research, read labels, and be informed. Let's face it...most of us know which foods to avoid and which foods we should eat an abundance of. As we travel down the path to better health we will continue to learn what is best for us.
I am reading a wonderful devotional book called, "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. Today's reading was another message from my Jesus saying, "...relying on your ever-present Companion. You have every reason to be confident, because My Presence accompanies you all the days of your life and into eternity." Pretty powerful stuff, huh? Knowing that He is with us should give us the confidence we need to accomplish our goals, including the goals of loosing weight and being healthy. Especially because God, our Father desires these things for us as well!
I love salads, so eating lots of leafy greens is not a problem for me and lately, since I am trying to eat more and more of these healthy foods, I have come up with a few new ways to make salad. For instance, instead of salad dressing I have been putting dried cranberries and sunflower seeds on my salad and it tastes delicious, it's healthy, and I avoid salt and fattening dressings. Another idea I got from my oldest daughter. She mixes lettuce and fresh spinach and adds mandarine oranges and avocado slices, yummy!!! I also make an avocado salad with lettuce, fresh spinach, sliced sweet onions, cucumbers, and of course avocados. I then sprinkle it with a little sea salt and drizzle with olive oil and again...yummy!!! Try these ideas or make up your own and you'll see that salads can be very tasty, filling, and healthy!!!
Enjoy your day : )
Wow! There is so much conflicting information out there; some vegetables are healthier if you steam them, some are better eaten raw. Most fish is very healthy for you but not all fish is healthy for you. Is wild better than farm raised? Are fish caught in cold water better for you than fish caught in warmer tropical waters? Are all fish contaminated with mercury? Which have the highest content of mercury? What about chicken? Beef? Soy is good. Soy is bad. Some diets will even tell you that fruits are bad and bacon is good ( I can't quite figure that one out). Isn't it just easier to eat a sleeve of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk and be done with it? The chocolate chip cookies have eggs and dough and the chocolate has antioxidants! The milk is my dairy and there you have it, I've covered 3 out of the 4 food groups and I'm a happy camper!!! Not really though because deep down, despite the fact that I really do enjoy chocolate chip cookies and milk, I know it is not healthy for me. So the bottom line is we must be wise consumers. We cannot allow ourselves to remain confused about which foods to eat and which not to eat. We need to do our research, read labels, and be informed. Let's face it...most of us know which foods to avoid and which foods we should eat an abundance of. As we travel down the path to better health we will continue to learn what is best for us.
I am reading a wonderful devotional book called, "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. Today's reading was another message from my Jesus saying, "...relying on your ever-present Companion. You have every reason to be confident, because My Presence accompanies you all the days of your life and into eternity." Pretty powerful stuff, huh? Knowing that He is with us should give us the confidence we need to accomplish our goals, including the goals of loosing weight and being healthy. Especially because God, our Father desires these things for us as well!
I love salads, so eating lots of leafy greens is not a problem for me and lately, since I am trying to eat more and more of these healthy foods, I have come up with a few new ways to make salad. For instance, instead of salad dressing I have been putting dried cranberries and sunflower seeds on my salad and it tastes delicious, it's healthy, and I avoid salt and fattening dressings. Another idea I got from my oldest daughter. She mixes lettuce and fresh spinach and adds mandarine oranges and avocado slices, yummy!!! I also make an avocado salad with lettuce, fresh spinach, sliced sweet onions, cucumbers, and of course avocados. I then sprinkle it with a little sea salt and drizzle with olive oil and again...yummy!!! Try these ideas or make up your own and you'll see that salads can be very tasty, filling, and healthy!!!
Enjoy your day : )
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Stewardship
Those of you who know me will be proud to know that I just realized, at 5:00 in the morning, that each time when I go to publish a new post and it asks me for a title it is not asking me for the title of my blog it is asking me to title each post! So, I have gone back and given each previous post a title. That in itself was a challenge for me, trying to figure out how to edit a post and publish it. : ) Now I can go back and correct my spelling errors too!
Stewardship, I know it sounds boring, but read on, it is an important topic! For those of you who are Christians you know what stewardship is, for those who are not Christians, stewardship is simply being responsible with the resources that God has given to you, such as...your money, your time, and your body!
Whether you are overweight or thin, we all still need to take care of our bodies. I know many people who are thin who are not healthy. They may look good on the outside but that does not mean they are eating properly. They may be exercising or maybe they have a great metabolism (so unfair!), or maybe they are just thin (super unfair!). Remember though, we can't equate being thin with being healthy. That being said, let's move on to stewardship. As I stated, no matter what body we are in, we need to care for it properly. Eating healthy and exercising creates and maintains a healthy body and having a healthy body has so much to do with stewardship. Let me explain...when we hear the word stewardship most of us think of money. Well, being a wise steward of God's resources also has to do with our bodies in more ways than one. First, if our bodies are healthy and well cared for, we will not need to spend so much of God's money on the addtional medical expenses that come along with being unhealthy. Let me list just a few of the negatives results of choosing to be unhealthy...diabetes, hypertension, heart issues, back and knee injuries, high colesterol (which leads to other problems), etc...etc... I am not only talking about the unhealthy foods that we put into our bodies, I am also talking about alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, anything that you are doing that is not condusive to being healthy can obviously have a negative result on your health and therefore have a negative effect on your finances! So instead of being able to use the extra money that God has blessed us with to build up His kingdom, we will being using our financial resources to pay for the treatment of illnesses that result from unhelathy living!
Second, if our bodies are not feeling well because we choose to be unhealthy, and it is a choice, then we, in effect, are not being good stewards of God's time. Instead of being able to go out and serve Him, we will end up spending our free time at doctor's offices, hospitals, or perhaps just simply sitting home because we don't have the energy to do anything else. Meanwhile, God has blessed us with 24 hours each day because He has work for us to do, He gives us a purpose for living. As Pastor Charlie said in his message last night, it is not about us, but it is about what God wants to do through us. He wants to use us to be a sign to point others in the direction of Jesus Christ! If we are laid up because of health issues how will we be able to accomplish His goals for our lives?
So let's be good managers of everything that God put in our care, including our bodies!
Psalm 139:14
"I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well."
Have a great day!
Stewardship, I know it sounds boring, but read on, it is an important topic! For those of you who are Christians you know what stewardship is, for those who are not Christians, stewardship is simply being responsible with the resources that God has given to you, such as...your money, your time, and your body!
Whether you are overweight or thin, we all still need to take care of our bodies. I know many people who are thin who are not healthy. They may look good on the outside but that does not mean they are eating properly. They may be exercising or maybe they have a great metabolism (so unfair!), or maybe they are just thin (super unfair!). Remember though, we can't equate being thin with being healthy. That being said, let's move on to stewardship. As I stated, no matter what body we are in, we need to care for it properly. Eating healthy and exercising creates and maintains a healthy body and having a healthy body has so much to do with stewardship. Let me explain...when we hear the word stewardship most of us think of money. Well, being a wise steward of God's resources also has to do with our bodies in more ways than one. First, if our bodies are healthy and well cared for, we will not need to spend so much of God's money on the addtional medical expenses that come along with being unhealthy. Let me list just a few of the negatives results of choosing to be unhealthy...diabetes, hypertension, heart issues, back and knee injuries, high colesterol (which leads to other problems), etc...etc... I am not only talking about the unhealthy foods that we put into our bodies, I am also talking about alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, anything that you are doing that is not condusive to being healthy can obviously have a negative result on your health and therefore have a negative effect on your finances! So instead of being able to use the extra money that God has blessed us with to build up His kingdom, we will being using our financial resources to pay for the treatment of illnesses that result from unhelathy living!
Second, if our bodies are not feeling well because we choose to be unhealthy, and it is a choice, then we, in effect, are not being good stewards of God's time. Instead of being able to go out and serve Him, we will end up spending our free time at doctor's offices, hospitals, or perhaps just simply sitting home because we don't have the energy to do anything else. Meanwhile, God has blessed us with 24 hours each day because He has work for us to do, He gives us a purpose for living. As Pastor Charlie said in his message last night, it is not about us, but it is about what God wants to do through us. He wants to use us to be a sign to point others in the direction of Jesus Christ! If we are laid up because of health issues how will we be able to accomplish His goals for our lives?
So let's be good managers of everything that God put in our care, including our bodies!
Psalm 139:14
"I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well."
Have a great day!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Let the past be the past, let's move on!
Hi Guys : )
Well it is Wednesday, March 16th. The first of the year has come and gone and here we are in March already. It is insane how fast the year is flying by, I don't even recall the month of February! If I postpone a healthy lifestyle of clean eating and regular exercise for one more day I fear the holidays will be here again and the list of excuses will begin all over. You know the list I am talking about...the one that starts with, "Well it is silly to try and loose weight now we are going on a cruise in a month." The excuse list continues with the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Easter, etc... There is another holiday every month! We will not even mention all the social events that come with these holidays and all the social events that come along period. It seems there is always an event, party, picnic, baby shower, something, and it seems that all of our social events revolve around food! So it is time to make a decision now, today is the day!
I've made this committment so many times before but I have never really fully relied on God for His help in this area of my life. "Why not?", I wonder. God has helped me and provided for me in every other area of my life so why not this?
I have been walking with my husband in the mornings, doing gardening work, and swimming in the pool. I have also been trying to eat better, but I have not been consistent. For example, today I had one of my delicious smoothies that I told you guys about. I actually added a scoop of Whey protein to it and it was quite tasty and very healthy! For lunch I had chicken breast with vegetables and brown rice, also very good and very healthy. Then dinner came : ( We stayed a little late at church conversing with friends and I didn't have a plan so my husband and I grabbed a pizza of all things. Pizza is quick and inexpensive but not very healthy especially so late at night. So, I am discovering that planning is the key!!! Knowing what I am going to eat for each meal so that I can balance what I eat during the day but also so that I am not sitting around trying to make a quick decision about what to eat and as a result making a poor decision. But, I am not looking back on my mistakes. Tomorrow is a new day, and new beginning!
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Isn't that an awesome fact, knowing that our God is our strength? When we are faced with situations requiring great strength we must always remember that we have the power of God to overcome every obstacle, not only the obstacle of loosing weight, but every obstacle. God within us is the victor!!! Read the story of Esther in the Bible. It is a short read, only 10 Bible chapters, but what a story of how she, Esther, gathered all her strength and courage from the Lord. He provided all she needed to overcome her obstacles, and He can and will do the same for us if we rely on Him!
Well it is Wednesday, March 16th. The first of the year has come and gone and here we are in March already. It is insane how fast the year is flying by, I don't even recall the month of February! If I postpone a healthy lifestyle of clean eating and regular exercise for one more day I fear the holidays will be here again and the list of excuses will begin all over. You know the list I am talking about...the one that starts with, "Well it is silly to try and loose weight now we are going on a cruise in a month." The excuse list continues with the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Easter, etc... There is another holiday every month! We will not even mention all the social events that come with these holidays and all the social events that come along period. It seems there is always an event, party, picnic, baby shower, something, and it seems that all of our social events revolve around food! So it is time to make a decision now, today is the day!
I've made this committment so many times before but I have never really fully relied on God for His help in this area of my life. "Why not?", I wonder. God has helped me and provided for me in every other area of my life so why not this?
I have been walking with my husband in the mornings, doing gardening work, and swimming in the pool. I have also been trying to eat better, but I have not been consistent. For example, today I had one of my delicious smoothies that I told you guys about. I actually added a scoop of Whey protein to it and it was quite tasty and very healthy! For lunch I had chicken breast with vegetables and brown rice, also very good and very healthy. Then dinner came : ( We stayed a little late at church conversing with friends and I didn't have a plan so my husband and I grabbed a pizza of all things. Pizza is quick and inexpensive but not very healthy especially so late at night. So, I am discovering that planning is the key!!! Knowing what I am going to eat for each meal so that I can balance what I eat during the day but also so that I am not sitting around trying to make a quick decision about what to eat and as a result making a poor decision. But, I am not looking back on my mistakes. Tomorrow is a new day, and new beginning!
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Isn't that an awesome fact, knowing that our God is our strength? When we are faced with situations requiring great strength we must always remember that we have the power of God to overcome every obstacle, not only the obstacle of loosing weight, but every obstacle. God within us is the victor!!! Read the story of Esther in the Bible. It is a short read, only 10 Bible chapters, but what a story of how she, Esther, gathered all her strength and courage from the Lord. He provided all she needed to overcome her obstacles, and He can and will do the same for us if we rely on Him!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Self-discipline
2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.
So if God gave us a spirit of self-discipline then why is it so hard for us when it comes to our addictions? Food, alcohol, drugs, pornography, gossiping, shopping, gambling, etc... For me personally, it is food! It always seems so difficult for me when it comes to food. As a child and even as a young adult I never had a problem with my weight. That doesn't mean that I ate healthy, it just means that I was young, very athletic, and very active, so I never gained weight. I used to ride my bike to the beach every day, rain or shine, and I used to take the long way so that I got more exercise! When I arrived at the beach I would eat a couple of slices of pizza, soda, and of course a sugary lemon frost or an ice cream cone, and that was pretty much every day!!! While at the beach I would play paddle ball, swim in the ocean , and walk along the boardwalk, Then I would ride my bike home and swim in the pool before going to work! I also played on a softball team at the local park. I had the time and the energy to be very active. At this time in my life I am finding it hard to make time time for regular exercise so my husband and I have been walking every morning, first thing in the morning. I'm realizing that if we exercise first thing in the morning after our devotion time then it is much easier than trying to find the time later in the day. Also, exercising first thing gives you quite a bit of energy for the rest of your day! Try it, even if your mornings are crazy, try to go to bed a little earlier and then wake up a little earlier and make time to exercise in the morning. Also, if you exercise each day then you'll sleep better each night.
Back to the food...I'm not one of those who gets cravings for certain things and then runs out to the store to purchase that piece of chocolate or cookie, but when those cookies are in front of me, boy is it hard to say, "NO!" I am realizing though if I just focus on God and pray to Him, He will equip me with the power and self-discipline (as the verse states) that I need to pass up the unhealthy foods, eat the right foods that my body needs to thrive, and exercise regularly. So if we rely fully on Him, He will help us through. Keep in mind that although we may think it is impossible to loose weight and be healthy, all things are possible with God!!!
I've got a great way to add some realy great foods to your day...smoothies!!! Last weekend we went to Plant City for the big Strawberry Festival. We brought home so many delicious, juicy strawberries that I had to cut some up and put them in freezer bags to save for smoothies.
So here is my recipe:
1 cup frozen strawberries (cup up)
some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (whatever is in season or purchase the frozen berries)
1/2 a banana (cut up)
1 handful of fresh spinach. I know it sounds gross, but once you have all the berries and bananas you can't even taste the spinach, I promise!!! If you don't believe me, try it at least once and you'll see! The smoothie will not be green, it will have an appealing berry color : )
1 yogurt (any flavor, you can even try Greek yogurt it's very good! And good for you!)
Then I use the vanilla flavored almond milk or vanilla flavored soy milk
Blend it all up and enjoy!!!
This smoothie will give you and energy boost and it will certainly boost your immune system!!! It is a quick way to have a really healthy breakfast.
Good Night and F.Y.I., I am praying faithfully for each of you who are reading this blog and I sincerely hope it will help you just as it is helping me : )
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.
So if God gave us a spirit of self-discipline then why is it so hard for us when it comes to our addictions? Food, alcohol, drugs, pornography, gossiping, shopping, gambling, etc... For me personally, it is food! It always seems so difficult for me when it comes to food. As a child and even as a young adult I never had a problem with my weight. That doesn't mean that I ate healthy, it just means that I was young, very athletic, and very active, so I never gained weight. I used to ride my bike to the beach every day, rain or shine, and I used to take the long way so that I got more exercise! When I arrived at the beach I would eat a couple of slices of pizza, soda, and of course a sugary lemon frost or an ice cream cone, and that was pretty much every day!!! While at the beach I would play paddle ball, swim in the ocean , and walk along the boardwalk, Then I would ride my bike home and swim in the pool before going to work! I also played on a softball team at the local park. I had the time and the energy to be very active. At this time in my life I am finding it hard to make time time for regular exercise so my husband and I have been walking every morning, first thing in the morning. I'm realizing that if we exercise first thing in the morning after our devotion time then it is much easier than trying to find the time later in the day. Also, exercising first thing gives you quite a bit of energy for the rest of your day! Try it, even if your mornings are crazy, try to go to bed a little earlier and then wake up a little earlier and make time to exercise in the morning. Also, if you exercise each day then you'll sleep better each night.
Back to the food...I'm not one of those who gets cravings for certain things and then runs out to the store to purchase that piece of chocolate or cookie, but when those cookies are in front of me, boy is it hard to say, "NO!" I am realizing though if I just focus on God and pray to Him, He will equip me with the power and self-discipline (as the verse states) that I need to pass up the unhealthy foods, eat the right foods that my body needs to thrive, and exercise regularly. So if we rely fully on Him, He will help us through. Keep in mind that although we may think it is impossible to loose weight and be healthy, all things are possible with God!!!
I've got a great way to add some realy great foods to your day...smoothies!!! Last weekend we went to Plant City for the big Strawberry Festival. We brought home so many delicious, juicy strawberries that I had to cut some up and put them in freezer bags to save for smoothies.
So here is my recipe:
1 cup frozen strawberries (cup up)
some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (whatever is in season or purchase the frozen berries)
1/2 a banana (cut up)
1 handful of fresh spinach. I know it sounds gross, but once you have all the berries and bananas you can't even taste the spinach, I promise!!! If you don't believe me, try it at least once and you'll see! The smoothie will not be green, it will have an appealing berry color : )
1 yogurt (any flavor, you can even try Greek yogurt it's very good! And good for you!)
Then I use the vanilla flavored almond milk or vanilla flavored soy milk
Blend it all up and enjoy!!!
This smoothie will give you and energy boost and it will certainly boost your immune system!!! It is a quick way to have a really healthy breakfast.
Good Night and F.Y.I., I am praying faithfully for each of you who are reading this blog and I sincerely hope it will help you just as it is helping me : )
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Big Event!
Dear Readers,
A little over a year ago my now son-in-law proposed to my daughter. In December of 2009 they went to Wisconsin to visit his family for Christmas and he proposed! When my daughter called with the great news we were very excited and happy for them. After we hung up the phone a feeling of dread set in...and I thought, "How much time do I have to loose enough weight to look good for my daughter's big day?" I wanted to look beautiful, well, thin and I wanted her to be proud of me because I looked good. Sort of shallow I know, but that is how I felt.
As soon as they arrived home from their trip the planning began and they set a date, November 5th. I thought, "Oh good, that gives me 10 months to loose 80 pounds." Definitely doable, right? WRONG!
I kept counting the months that I had left before the wedding and re-calculating how much I had to loose in a shorter amount of time. Can you relate? The months just kept flying by and I had not lost a single pound, nor was I doing anything to loose the pounds either. At the beginning of each month I would go through the process of re-calculating again. Finally, it got to the point where I accepted that I wasn't going to loose 80 pounds in time for the wedding but I wanted to loose something. When there were only a couple of months remaining I changed the amount of weight I was going to loose to fit into the amount of time I had left. In other words I was saying, "I've got 8 weeks left, if I loose 5 pounds a week I can still loose 40 pounds before the wedding." The 8 weeks turned into 6 weeks, 4 weeks, and then 2 weeks. Believe it or not, I was still planning to loose a few pounds before November 5th. I know so many out there have experienced the same struggles. Some big event comes up, such as weddings, high school reunions, family reunions, vacations, etc...and we make ourselves crazy trying to loose weight so we can look good for the big event. When really we should be trying to get rid of those extra pounds for our health!!! Looking good is the icing on the cake! Pardon the use of the words icing and cake in a blog about loosing weight : )
I was so convinced that I was going to loose weight before her wedding that I refused to look for mother-of-bride dresses. I remained so confident that even a month before the wedding I hadn't purchased a dress yet! I thought that it would somehow make a difference even if I only lost 10 pounds : ( Finally, my daughters convinced me that we had to get a dress and we did, and as you can probably guess I didn't not even loose a single pound before the wedding day.
I am hoping to accomplish several things by writing this blog.
#1 Most importantly, I want to honor God in the process. The wonderful God who created me wants me to be healthy and happy.
Check out 1 Corinthians 6:19 in your Bible. It states, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
#2. I hope to encourage my readers who are also struggling with weight loss and good health.
#3. I am using the readers of this blog as my accountability partners! So, I pormise to be honest about my sruggles and my accomplishments.
#4. I read that journaling your thoughts and tracking progress is extremly helpful in loosing weight, so I will be journaling to you guys and tracking my progress in this blog.
As we go through this together I will include healthy recipes, healthy eating, and exercise tips. I will also include Bible verses from God's word to encourage us along the way. So here it goes, I am on my way to loosing weight and being the healthiest me I can be!
A little over a year ago my now son-in-law proposed to my daughter. In December of 2009 they went to Wisconsin to visit his family for Christmas and he proposed! When my daughter called with the great news we were very excited and happy for them. After we hung up the phone a feeling of dread set in...and I thought, "How much time do I have to loose enough weight to look good for my daughter's big day?" I wanted to look beautiful, well, thin and I wanted her to be proud of me because I looked good. Sort of shallow I know, but that is how I felt.
As soon as they arrived home from their trip the planning began and they set a date, November 5th. I thought, "Oh good, that gives me 10 months to loose 80 pounds." Definitely doable, right? WRONG!
I kept counting the months that I had left before the wedding and re-calculating how much I had to loose in a shorter amount of time. Can you relate? The months just kept flying by and I had not lost a single pound, nor was I doing anything to loose the pounds either. At the beginning of each month I would go through the process of re-calculating again. Finally, it got to the point where I accepted that I wasn't going to loose 80 pounds in time for the wedding but I wanted to loose something. When there were only a couple of months remaining I changed the amount of weight I was going to loose to fit into the amount of time I had left. In other words I was saying, "I've got 8 weeks left, if I loose 5 pounds a week I can still loose 40 pounds before the wedding." The 8 weeks turned into 6 weeks, 4 weeks, and then 2 weeks. Believe it or not, I was still planning to loose a few pounds before November 5th. I know so many out there have experienced the same struggles. Some big event comes up, such as weddings, high school reunions, family reunions, vacations, etc...and we make ourselves crazy trying to loose weight so we can look good for the big event. When really we should be trying to get rid of those extra pounds for our health!!! Looking good is the icing on the cake! Pardon the use of the words icing and cake in a blog about loosing weight : )
I was so convinced that I was going to loose weight before her wedding that I refused to look for mother-of-bride dresses. I remained so confident that even a month before the wedding I hadn't purchased a dress yet! I thought that it would somehow make a difference even if I only lost 10 pounds : ( Finally, my daughters convinced me that we had to get a dress and we did, and as you can probably guess I didn't not even loose a single pound before the wedding day.
I am hoping to accomplish several things by writing this blog.
#1 Most importantly, I want to honor God in the process. The wonderful God who created me wants me to be healthy and happy.
Check out 1 Corinthians 6:19 in your Bible. It states, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
#2. I hope to encourage my readers who are also struggling with weight loss and good health.
#3. I am using the readers of this blog as my accountability partners! So, I pormise to be honest about my sruggles and my accomplishments.
#4. I read that journaling your thoughts and tracking progress is extremly helpful in loosing weight, so I will be journaling to you guys and tracking my progress in this blog.
As we go through this together I will include healthy recipes, healthy eating, and exercise tips. I will also include Bible verses from God's word to encourage us along the way. So here it goes, I am on my way to loosing weight and being the healthiest me I can be!
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